Surveying an Urban Wilderness: 10 Buildings That Grow

A few weeks back we stumbled upon a fantastic essay in ART LIES by the exceptionally talented Chris Sauter titled Wandering the Back Forty: Some Ideas About a Rural Avant-Garde. In the piece, the Texan artist offers his expert opinion as to why we’re now collectively obsessed with “the rural.” He explains this nostalgic renaissance by observing a renewed interest in things like community gardens, vernacular architecture, and taxidermy. You don’t have to look much farther than Brooklyn, with its collection of rooftop farms, modern agrarian dining experiences, and obligatory deer antler decor to see that Sauter’s on to something.
Because what’s happening in the art world is always mirrored by what’s going on in design, we thought we’d take a look at the architecture of what we like to think of as the new urban wilderness. From a home in Saigon inspired by a custom of stockpiling flower pots to architecture with its own microclimate, click through to check out the future of the city as we know it. Then, let us know in the comments what you think about these country in the city hybrids.